over now

By; Ben Musanje

24^th June 2020

More than 4000 private schools are at risk of forced closure arising from COVID19 containment measures.

The National Planning Authority says in the absence of significant support, 3507 private primary schools risk failing to reopen consequently putting the future of approx. 1,534,000 million primary school children in doubt.

These statistics were revealed by Rogers Matte the manager for macroeconomic planning at the NPA.

Matte was appearing before the National Economy committee of Parliament to present a report on the impact of COVID19 on the economy.

Matte notes that at secondary level a total of 832 poor private schools are likely to face closure due to financial distress putting the future of 390,000 children at stake.

Matte has stated that worsening credit and liquidity constraints among micro, small and medium enterprises has majorly affected the services sector compared to other categories of businesses; this is because lending institutions consider them to be highly risky and more likely to become insolvent in case COVID19 persists and restrictions are maintained.

The chairperson of the committee Syda Bumba has pressed the NPA to make recommendations on how the skills of teachers in private schools can be utilised especially given that the private education sector is one of the largest employers in the country.

She says the plight of teachers in private schools is worrying.